Narration
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Young Adult (18-35)Accents
North American (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
I finished that first year at Fieldston in pretty good shape. I got A's and B's in most of my subjects, but I was a lousy at Jim. I envied the girls with their hockey six running across the field, madly chasing after the ball. They were a breed apart. I always thought that, especially kindly of this particular kind of girl, confident and athletic as a hockey player. I wish then that I, too, were an athlete. It would have given me some sort of positive identity as a newcomer to the school. But there it was and is. I've never been good at any sport, be it basketball, volleyball, soccer, you name it. I never learned to play tennis. I was bored when I tried golf. I won't drown in the water, but don't asked me to do a back flip into the pool. That lack of athletic expertise followed me to sleepaway camp, the summer of my first year in New York. I went off to the Poconos with my New Jersey cousin, Helen. She was a terrific girl, and I liked her a lot. So obviously did everyone else. At the end of the six weeks we were away. Helen was voted not only best athlete, but best all around Camper. This is the kind of camp that felt every child should go home with some award to show their parents. Therefore, I was voted most improved athlete, need I say more? The next day Zack came. His visits were rare these days, and when he did come, he usually avoided my eyes, fidgeting with his keys. Instead, he hardly spoke, responding with shrugs to most of my questions, but every few weeks. But here, the key in the lock, the door scrape along the floor and and he'd come my twin, my jailer to sit at the far end of my bed. I didn't know why he came any more than I knew why. I was always glad when I heard his footsteps in the corridor. You need to talk to her, he said. Just tell her what you see or letter in into my mind. Do you mean he shrugged? Don't sound so horrified. You're like her. After all, I shook my head. I don't do what she does. I don't poke around in other people's minds, and she can stay out of mine. It's the only thing I've got here. I didn't know how to express to him what it was like when she tried to probe my mind how it left me feeling sullied, unsafe, even in my own head. He gave a sigh that turned into a laugh. I'd be impressed that you held her out this long, except that I already knew how stubborn you are. Then you should know it's not going to change. I won't help you. You need to casts. He leaned close to me For a moment. I thought he might take my hand, as he had all those years ago when our father was dying and he begged for my help. This is my dog, Charlie. We do lots of things together. We swim together. We played ball together in winter. We go sliding together. One day, a man stopped and asked if Charlie would like to be in a movie. Charlie had to take a screen test. The man told him to act happy. Then he asked him to act angry. Charlie even pretended to be in love and scared out of his for the man said. Charlie was a terrific actor. He wanted him to be in his movie. The next day they took Charlie to Hollywood. We hated to see him go. When the movie was finished, everybody said Charlie was the best actor in the entire world. Charlie was a star in Hollywood. They build a mock doghouse, gave in fancy dish is filled with all kinds of fancy food. Charlie's dog collars were made of gold and expensive, for he even had a swimming bull. She like a bone. Everywhere he went, he was so surrounded by fans, I saw Charlie on a television talk show. I thought he looked a little sad. One day he looked over his wall and saw a girl playing with her dog. He missed me. Charlie was tired of being a star. That night. He jumped over the wall and went all the way back home. He left his fancy world for me, and now Charlie is home to stay